RESOLUTION URGING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND THE UNITED STATES FOOD & DRUG ADMINISTRATION TO BAN THE USE OF “PINK SLIME” IN MEAT PRODUCTS, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, REQUIRE THAT MEAT PRODUCTS CONTAINING “PINK SLIME” INCLUDE LABELS THAT CLEARLY INDICATE THAT THE MEAT CONTAINS THE FILLER; URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO BAN THE USE OF MEAT PRODUCTS CONTAINING “PINK SLIME” IN FOOD THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA PREPARES OR SERVES; URGING THE OTHER COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO BAN THE USE OF MEAT PRODUCTS CONTAINING ''PINK SLIME'' IN FOOD THAT THE COUNTY PREPARES OR SERVES (SEE AGENDA ITEM NO. 11A7)

Indexes:

URGING

Sponsors:

Dennis C. Moss, Prime Sponsor

Audrey M. Edmonson, Co-Sponsor

Sally A. Heyman, Co-Sponsor

Barbara J. Jordan, Co-Sponsor

Sunset Provision:
No

Effective Date:

Expiration Date:

Registered Lobbyist:

None Listed

Legislative History

Acting Body

Date

Agenda Item

Action

Sent To

Due Date

Returned

Pass/Fail

Board of County Commissioners

6/5/2012

11A25

Adopted

P

County Attorney

4/18/2012

Assigned

Annery Pulgar Alfonso

Legislative Text

TITLE

RESOLUTION URGING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND THE UNITED STATES FOOD & DRUG ADMINISTRATION TO BAN THE USE OF “PINK SLIME” IN MEAT PRODUCTS, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, REQUIRE THAT MEAT PRODUCTS CONTAINING “PINK SLIME” INCLUDE LABELS THAT CLEARLY INDICATE THAT THE MEAT CONTAINS THE FILLER; URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO BAN THE USE OF MEAT PRODUCTS CONTAINING “PINK SLIME” IN FOOD THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA PREPARES OR SERVES; URGING THE OTHER COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA TO BAN THE USE OF MEAT PRODUCTS CONTAINING “PINK SLIME” IN FOOD THAT THE COUNTY PREPARES OR SERVES

BODY

WHEREAS, the meat industry is adding low-grade beef trimmings, known in the industry as “lean finely textured beef” and now widely known as “pink slime,” to most ground beef as an inexpensive filler; and
WHEREAS, the low-grade beef trimmings come from the parts of the cow most likely to harbor pathogens, often close to the hide, which is highly exposed to fecal matter; and
WHEREAS, “pink slime” was once only used in dog food and cooking oil; and
WHEREAS, “pink slime” is made by gathering waste trimmings, such as fatty beef byproducts and connective tissue, simmering them at low heat so the fat separates easily from the muscle, and spinning the trimmings using a centrifuge to complete the separation; and
WHEREAS, the beef trimmings mixture is then sent through pipes where it is sprayed with ammonia gas to kill bacteria; and
WHEREAS, the process is completed by packaging the filler into bricks, freezing the filler and shipping it to grocery stores and meat packers, where it is added to most ground beef; and
WHEREAS, several United States food manufacturers, including ConAgra Foods Inc., Sara Lee Corporation, and Kraft Foods Inc., publicly stated in early 2012 that they do not use “pink slime” in their meat products; and
WHEREAS, Costco Wholesale Corporation, Publix, Whole Foods Market, and H-E-B also announced in March 2012 that they do not sell meat products containing the low-grade ammonia treated filler; and
WHEREAS, in March 2012 Safeway, SUPERVALU, Kroger, and Food Lion announced that they will no longer carry meat products containing “pink slime” due to customer concerns; and
WHEREAS, McDonald's, Taco Bell, and Burger King announced in early 2012 that their meat products will no longer contain “pink slime;” and
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Agriculture announced in March 2012 that beginning in fall 2012, the United States National School Lunch Program will allow participating school districts to decide whether or not to purchase ground beef containing “pink slime;” and
WHEREAS, the Miami-Dade County Public Schools, one of the nation's largest school districts, stated that it will choose “pink-slime-free” beef; and
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Agriculture announced in April 2012 that it agreed to allow voluntary labeling of meat products containing “pink slime;” and
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Agriculture has never and currently does not require the labeling of meat products containing “pink slime;” and
WHEREAS, this Board would like to acknowledge the consumer concerns regarding the low-grade ammonia treated filler,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Urges the Federal government, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the United States Food & Drug Administration to ban the use of “pink slime” in meat products, or at the very least, require that meat products containing “pink slime” include labels that clearly indicate that the product contains the ammonia treated filler.
Section 2. Urges the Florida Legislature to ban the use of meat products containing “pink slime” in food that the State of Florida prepares or serves.
Section 3. Urges the other sixty-six (66) counties in the State of Florida to ban the use of meat products containing “pink slime” in food that the county prepares or serves.
Section 4. The Clerk of the Board is directed to transmit certified copies of the resolution to the Governor, Senate President, House Speaker, the Chair and members of the Miami-Dade State Legislative Delegation, Chair and members of the Boards of County Commissioners and the County Manager or other head county administrator for each of the other sixty-six (66) counties in the State of Florida, members of the Florida Congressional Delegation, the United States Secretary of Agriculture, and the Commissioner of the United States Food & Drug Administration.
Section 5. Directs the County's federal lobbyists to advocate for the issue identified in Section 1 above, and directs the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to include this item in the 2012 and 2013 Federal Legislative Packages.

Section 6. Directs the County’s state lobbyists to advocate for the issue identified in Section 2 above, and authorizes and directs the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to include this item in the 2013 State Legislative Package.